De Belin is a diamond in the rough

A country boy with a big smile. Does he have it – you bet he does. That is the message from Dragons forward Dean Young, who says that the Cootamundra local, has plenty of potential, and will make it in the NRL.

“I know a bit about him, I know he’s going to be good. He’s going to be real good.

“He’s tough, he takes no prisoners, trains hard, and the boys love playing with him.

“He certainly doesn’t have any fear, I know that.”

Growing up, there was one player that De Belin idolised. The man they call the raging bull – otherwise known as former Broncos and Dragons second-rower, Gorden Tallis.

“He was just tough, he was always looking to take the ball forward,” De Belin recalls. “And he was just aggressive.

“I’m not a very aggressive guy but you’ve got to be like that if want to make it.”

For De Belin, he has one goal – to make it in the NRL in season 2012.

Having made 3 first-grade appearances under Wayne Bennett last year, new coach Steve Price has bigger plans for De Belin, and plans to use him in a bigger role this season.

Studying PE away from footy, De Belin knows that in the NRL, you take nothing for granted, and have to work hard.

“You’ve got to make sacrifices,” he said. “There is a big opportunity coming this year and I want to step up and take it.

“Hopefully, I can get a spot in the team somewhere. It’s hard to believe after just two years I am where I am now. Like at school, you would have never dreamed of this.”